Down from the Mount

The house is quiet this morning.  For the first time I am noticing the pink and blue of sunrise along the horizon, through our bare trees beyond the woods.  We have a northern view here, but evidently the sunrise up at Mom's is so overwhelmingly beautiful that it is spilling out its color far to the North.  We miss all of this activity in the summer months.  I have heard some refer to late Fall and winter as "stick season", and I know why, but what a view it opens up to those of us who are closed in by forest!

For weeks now I have been reading from the gospels.  Today I am in the book of Mark, chapter 9.  It is the account of Jesus' transfiguration.  He took Peter, James and John up into the  mount with him.  What a privilege to be taken to the mount and to see the things that they saw.  To see Jesus' raiment shining whiter than snow, as He later appeared to John on the isle of Patmos in the book of Revelation.  On the mount God spoke audibly, in the cloud, as it overshadowed them, "This is my beloved Son; hear him."  As they descended that mount and Jesus charged them to tell no man what they'd seen, I wonder how their countenances could have hid it away in their own hearts!

What a blessing to be with the Lord "in the mount".  Our revelation from the Word of God is not a physical one, but spiritually, He takes us there sometimes. The Holy Spirit is given to each believer, to teach and to guide us into all truth.  Any child of Jesus Christ can probably attest to some special time or times that God has opened up our eyes to him as He never had before.  And then we must "come down" to the earth again.  I recently read a quote from Oswald Chambers that says, "We are apt to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching, it is to be turned into something better than teaching, into CHARACTER.  The mount is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something." Whether this quote is completely accurate or not, it certainly is God's aim to MAKE us into someone who will bring glory to him.  He is interested in our character, not how much head knowledge we have.  There was a reason that Jesus took Peter, James and John to the mount.  God certainly used these three men in a special way as pastors and teachers to the early church!

God is so good to us. He knows exactly what we need daily to become the people He wants us to be!
I am about to walk out into the day.  More than anything I want God to be using what He has been teaching me to form strong character and Christlikeness into me.

The horizon's pinks have turned to light gold now. The blue clouds have risen higher in the sky and the hills over the North Road are gray and bare of their leaves.  There is a true beauty in this that some may call "bleakness".  The earth here will soon go into that dormant season when everything gets heavily watered and plenty of rest so that, in a few months, it will be able to BURST back "to life" again!

I hope that you have a wonderful day.

Gold on Gray

The backdrop of sky is as smoke from a thousand cannons;
    storm gray;  looming;  ominous.
I ascend the hill, northward
    while a line of brilliant, golden arrows appear;
    rising slowly, pointing skyward, poised for battle.
Countless, shining sentries standing guard for the smaller hills behind.
Tamaracks;
    some young and stunted, others tall and sturdy.
Together they form an unbroken battle line.
Never having left their post, these stalwart soldiers reflect, as gold buttons on the gunmetal-gray lapel.
More brilliant, lit by the very God of the universe.

On the next rise the evergreens, broken haphazardly by the rust of oaks
    and dazzling yellow of the birch trees;  an occasional pale orange cluster, resembling
    a huge peach tossed to the mountain and caught in the treetops before reaching the earth.  This,
    the towering poplar, reluctant to shed her gorgeous garb.

Soon the tamarack will drop its million quills. 
    I've tread through her soft, luxurious, saffron carpet; elegant, as in a king's palace.
Unlike all her needled cousins, sturdy tamarack will stand uncovered all Winter;
    branch and trunk laid bare to the harsh elements.

For now they shine brightly against this smoky sky;
    gold on gray.

We Went to the Place of Worship

The day started out a cool 36 degrees.  I'm grateful that there has not been a frost to kill the mums, as they're so welcoming to come home to.  It felt almost balmy as I stepped out the door this morning. The sunrise was spectacular and left the sky a pure blue with high clouds spread out through the sky.

Our Lord's days are quite full with Sunday school, morning service, lunch together then a 2:00 service in the afternoon.  Today we had a missionary speaker, John Shelley, from Rock of Ages Ministries. They minister to inmates in international and domestic military prisons.  What a blessing to see the work and hear the messages today.

Syd and I have been blessed to be involved in four local churches in our lives and we lived for 6 years in South Carolina. The Lord used this to expose us to many different styles of preaching. He has used most all these men of God, no matter what their "style", to minister to our hearts.  Today's was a wonderful southern (Virginia) preacher.  He was a sincere servant who loved the Lord and preached his heart out to us.  God spoke to me on several points, which I plan to pray earnestly about until I see a change in these areas of my life.  This missionary was not here to get us to support their ministry or to prove anything, he was here to share his love for the Lord and for our military men and woman (his wife ministers to women) who have gone to prison, and his desire to see them saved.  Pastor Shelley shared with us, "If you do the crime, you must do the time; but then there's the matter of eternity".  God uses him to lead them to changing their lives for eternity.

The morning message was from John 4.  The Samaritan woman who Jesus met at the well was asking where this 'living water' would come from, believing it to be actual water from the well wherein she had come to draw.  Jesus told her that, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."  He then told her to "go call her husband, and come hither".  She said that she did not have a husband.  Jesus knew her through and through and told her all about herself.  He knew that she was a woman of the world, involved with several men and that the man she was now with was not her husband (verse 18).  When Jesus ministered on earth, then later shed his blood upon the cross for our sins, he does not look at how much of a sinner we are.  His blood takes away ALL sin and he loves ALL people.  Any who will accept Jesus' sacrifice for their sin will be saved!

After telling him that she perceived that he was a prophet, she changed the subject to that of "worship". The Lord shared with her that people who TRULY worship the Father, worship Him in spirit and in truth, and that "the Father seeketh such to worship Him".  God is seeking for souls, still today, who will come to Him and worship in spirit and in truth, the truth of the Word of God.  One question Pastor Shelley asked was (paraphrased), "before coming here this morning, did you worship God? Not, did you come here to worship God? but, did you already worship Him this morning, and bring your worship for Him along TO this place of worship?"

One who knows Christ as their savior should start their day by worshipping God in prayer and reading the Word, then continue the worship of Him throughout their entire day; by every word spoken, each thought entertained, all of their actions -in every place that they go.  This was no new revelation to me, but what refreshments and reminders we sometimes receive when posed with a simple question?

All in all, this day was a blessing and it started me off on the right foot for the entire week.  It is the first day this season that actually looked like snow. "That sky looks like it is going to snow." That's what I heard, and that is what I thought also.  I kind of hate to say it for the first time, but we know that Winter is coming.  Come what may, we have the assurance that the Lord loves us; whether we are already His child or whether you have never yet trusted Him for salvation. The woman at the well believed and trusted in the Lord, Messiah (at this time He had not yet died on the cross, of course).  As she went into the city and told the Samaritans, they came, and many more believed, knowing that He was the Messiah, who would save them from their sins.

He loves us and wants to lead all people to the place of TRUE worship.

I leave you with flowers again.  It may be one of the last weeks that we get to enjoy their beauty.
I hope that today has prepared you for a wonderful week ahead.

Great Names

Thanks, all of you for all the wonderful names that you've suggested for our little Garden Friend.  I've had over 20 so far.  We'll run this contest through the end of October.  Then comes the hard part, choosing one!!
Syd and I have enjoyed all the suggestions.

In the original blogpost I had not decided on a prize.  But, as you see on the left side of our page, we're offering a pair of Syd's hand-tied earrings or a hat/lapel pin of a fishing fly.  We have lots of styles and colors to choose from.  Be thinking of what you'd like, because around Nov. 1st we'll be letting you know if you're the winner.

I will be posting a serious blogpost soon.  Work has been keeping me busy lately and it doesn't allow much time for writing.

I hope you all enjoy your day and the upcoming weekend!

Our Garden Friend

He doesn't look it, but he is over 50 years old!  I'm talking about our little garden friend who contentedly sits in the corner of our garden.  He has spent most of his life outside, and used to know the luxury of sitting in Syd's grandmother's livingroom during the Northern winters.  The other week, when Mom and I were sitting in the front yard, Mom exclaimed how she loved looking over at this little guy and seeing his happy face smiling back at her.  It prompted me to give a little of his background.

Back in the 1960s Syd's family traveled to Quincy, Michigan, to visit family.  While there, Grammy saw this little guy, unpainted, at a business that catered to people who like to collect such cement garden ornaments.  She took to his smile, his sunny disposition, perhaps, and expressed the desire to have him sitting amongst her flowers.  Grandpa said that they just did not have room to take him back home with them.  After they returned to their family's house, Grandpa and his sons took off for "a ride".  They purchased the little statue and pushed him wayyyy at the front of the car's trunk, right under the center of the back seat.  Little did Grammy know, she sat on him all those miles home!  When they returned from their trip she was surprised with their little secret and happily gave him a shiny paint job and he took up residence with them for over 30 years.  There was only one brief separation, which I will describe next:

One morning, Grammy discovered that every one of her little garden ornaments were missing.  Assuming that they did not all up and defect, they concluded that it was the act of thieves!  It was reported to the local police and Grammy was assured that everyone's eyes would be on the lookout for misplaced gnomes and elves.  One evening, Syd's aunt, Olie, was watching the news.  There had been a drug bust in the hometown.  The news cameras were showing the inside of a livingroom.  As the camera panned across the floor, Olie suddenly spotted the little statue; his face wreathed in smiles, despite his desperate situation. She called the police station then made a call to Grammy.  Within a day or so all of Gram's ornaments were returned to their home.  Our little friend spent most of Grammy's remaining years on the porch or in the livingroom.  When Syd and I were newly married, I gave him a much-needed paint job, which he is still wearing today!

Syd and I inherited our little friend when his aunt moved to Florida.  Up until right now I have not even thought to give him a name, as he's always been called "the little elf" or "our little friend".  When I painted him, all those years ago, I thought about covering his pointed ears with red paint, to look like his hat, but it just would not work, as they stick out so.  I decided to stop worrying about it and just let him keep his funny ears. I know a lot of PEOPLE who have large or even pointed ears, so we don't worry about it anymore.

Can anyone think of a name for this little guy?  This is my 83rd post - not that this is a great milestone, but, in honor of our 83rd post, we're asking for suggestions of names.  The winner will get something special- I don't know what yet, but something.  THERE's great incentive to come up with a name! huh?

I hope you all have a nice day....and keep smiling!

The Hills Beyond

I sit at my desk and can now see the hills atop the North Road.  The beautiful orange and gold leaves are loosing from their twigs and the sturdy branches are standing out; reaching toward one another as if in an attempt to hold hands.

This is a beautiful time of year.  It is about now that my mother would begin exclaiming happily, "Now we can see out into the woods", as she and Dad would take their regular drives over the countryside.  Each year I get the impression of this more clearly. When all the leaves are on the ground one can truly see so much of what is going on deep in the woods.  It is yet hard to pick out the form of a deer and sometimes even a chipmunk as they stand still behind a tree trunk or rocks on the stone wall.  These two were down behind the house, trying to elude the camera's eye.

Our cabin is set with quite dense woods behind.  The late Fall and Winter open our vision just as the fresh, crisp air opens our lungs. At this moment the sun from Mom's side of the hill is lighting a knob above the North Road.  Soon each hillock will begin to appear, one or two at a time.  It happens every morning but today it is revealed to me afresh, as until now the leaf cover had hidden it from my view.

There are mums to plant.  I suppose I was slow in buying them this year, but the opportunity had not opened up until this weekend. Soon the urns will be filled with the bright yellow and russet blossoms that reflect the leaves strewn across the walkway.  I am willing to cover them every night just to delight in a couple weeks of their company;  a few short weeks before the ground is completely blanketed in white.

Have a crisp day.

Humility and the Bondslave

Lately the Lord has been leading me to study the life of Jesus Christ.  What a joy to read through the life of the One who came to this earth to manifest our heavenly Father, as Jesus Christ himself WAS God on earth!

Yesterday morning our pastor was preaching from II Corinthians and he mentioned a missionary who had used the term, "bondslave mentality".  This missionary told of other men and women who went out to the foreign mission field and had no thought or intention of coming back alive.  Most all of these missionaries died for their faith while serving their Lord.  A bondslave is one who serves their master, no matter what the cost.  I am pleased to say that the Lord has brought me into the presence of many such christian people. These have been a true and pure example to me of ones who have wholly given themselves over to God's service and manifest it every day of their lives. However, the world-wide "church" as a whole has, unfortunately, fallen into the rut of the world and many who say they are christians, and even some who truly do know Christ, let Satan keep them in that rut.  I am not excepting MYSELF when I say this.  In the past I've walked in the rut too and, by His grace (to only His honor and praise!), have not been pleased to remain there.

Coupled with the study of our Lord's life, I have started reading (again), "Humility, the Beauty of Holiness" by Andrew Murray.  It has been the perfect accompaniment to the beautiful voice of our Lord's life in the gospels.

A verse came to my mind this morning after I had finished my Bible reading.  It is found in Hebrews 4:13.  When we studied the book of Hebrews a few years ago this verse stood out to me and has never left.  It is written for all of mankind and says, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do".  In the Greek, the word 'naked' means "uncovered"; the word 'opened' actually means "to bend back the neck, make bare the throat".  The end of the verse makes it clear that we all will "have to DO" (deal) with God one day.  We will have no way to hide anything from Him (we have nothing that can be hidden from Him NOW).  We will also not be able to make any excuses or accusations against God not giving us enough light to lead us to Himself.

The price has been paid by the Lord Jesus.  What we do with it, whether we now are an unbeliever OR a believing christian, is up to us.  We will each answer for the things that are done in our body.  (God pleads with unsaved ones: please put your trust in the blood of Christ that was shed on your behalf. He died so that you would not have to).

These are not light thoughts, by any means; but a Monday morning is a good time for God to get us thinking on some heavy topics. Often God's 'Monday teachings' help guide me through the rest of the week with Him.  

My friends, I hope that this day is filled with good things for each of you.